Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1887-04-21
Alexander Mitchell Dead.

Alexander mitchell, PRESIDENT OF the |
Chicago. Milwaukee & st. Paul Rail-
road. died at the Hoffman House, in |
New York. Tuesday afternoon of acute |
pneumonia. Mr.. Mitchell a few days |
ago returned from Florida, where he
had spent the winter, leaving Mrs. |
Mitchell in the South. The body was
taken to Milwaukee in the deceased's |
private railroad car, and the interment
will take place at the Forest Home
cemetery there.
The immediate cause of death was
SAID to be bronchial pneumonia al
though the disease was supplemented
by deficient action of the heart. For
several years Mr.. Mitchell had with
drawn himself from active business,
and it was only at the earnest solicita-
ton of his associates that he retained
his position as head of the st. Paul
system. He went to Florida about six
months ago, accompanied by his wife
and an old bosom friend, Rev. DR..
Keene, of Milwaukee.
About three weeks ago Mr.. Mitchell
and DR.. Keene' left Florida going to
New York. Two days later Mr.. Mitch
ell complained of feeling unwell and
developed feverish symptoms, but he
soon recovered and was able to go
downtown. although the feverish con-
diuon returned at intervals. His SON,
John L. Mitchell had joined him in the
meantime, and with his son and par
ty of friends MIR. Mitchell heard Patti
sing at the Metropolitan Opera House
last Wednesday night. Sitting in the
front of the box he was probably ex-
posed to draft, for before the last act
he complained Of illness and left the
opera-house. So weak was he when
his carriage reached the motel that he
had TO be assisted to his room. After
that he never left his bed. His son was
with him to the last, though Mrs.
Mitchell was Still In FLORIDA.
The news of Mr.. Mitchelps death
produced profound shock in Milwau-
kee. At first it was discredited, but
when confirmed the flags were placed
at half mast and some places of bust
ness closed. His aged bank partner,
MIR. David Ferguson, was Frustrated.
Mr.. Mitchell is estimated to have
been worth S2O,0OO,OO0. He left a
will, the provisions of which are not
known. He was very broad and lib
eral man, and one of the safest and
best business men in the country.
The following is a brief sketch of
his life:
Alexander Mitchell was born October
Is. 1917, in the Parish of Elton, Aber-
deenshire, Scotland. His father was a
farmer, and the early days of the future
financier were passed in the same avo-
cation. For two years he studied law
at Aberdeen, and then went into bank
at Peterhead and remained there until
he came to Milwaukee in May, 1889,
when, in company with George Smith
of Chicago, he organized the Wisconsin
Marine g. Fire INSURANCE. Company, an
institution that was in reality bank,
although not called one on account of
the law then in force. The bills OF this
company were the only reliable paper
currency the territory had for many
years. yet despite the times every dol
lar was redeemed when presented. In
1841 David Ferguson joined Mr.. Mitch
ell in the bank, and despite the panics.
runs, and other incidents common to
institutions of the kind, there has never
been time during the forty-eight years
of its existence that Mitchelrs Bank. as
it is commonly called. has not met
every liability.
!. Following the panic of 1857 the City
of Milwaukee was in condition of al
most hopeless bankruptcy, owing to the
issue Of railroad and other bonds, and
plan was adopted by which a refund
ing bill was passed in the Legislature,
largely by advice of Mr.. Mitchell, who
with Charles Quentin and Joshua Hath
away constituted the first Commits
sioners of Public Debt. Under the
various city administrations the COM
mission has been frequently changed as
to two of its members, but Mr.. Mitchell
has been constantly reappointed. doing
great deal of negotiating and caring
for its securities and interests.
1t is as manager and promoter of
railroads that the deceased was best
known to the world, he having been for
years at the head of the Chicago, Mil
waukee & st. Paul Company, corpora
ton that controls more miles of road
than any other in the world. From
the time railroads were first constructed
here until the panic of 1857 each line
was operated by a separate company,
and some of them paid. After the panic
things grew worse, and continued so
all through the War, until May 5. 1868,
when the Milwaukee & ST. Paul Com
pany was Incorporated by Mr.. Mitchell
and his associates, who saw that the
only way to save what they had invested
in building the different lines was to
bring them under one management.
Mr.. Mitchell was elected President and
S. S. Merrill General Manager. and TAX
ing up the loose ends where others had
dropped them they knit together rail-
way system that has made the city what
it is, and brought to its merchants trade
from the most remote parts of the
uyacfQrn territories